Found 98 matches.
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Supporting Immigrant Youth Caught Up in the Crosshairs of the Justice System - NJJN 2018 Policy Platform
Tags: Detention | Immigration | NJJN Publications
NJJN's 2018 policy platform on protecting immigrant youth.
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Concerns Over Recent Actions by the Department of Justice and the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention
Tags: Federal | Deinstitutionalization | Detention | Racial and Ethnic Disparities | Youth in the Adult System | Advocacy | Administrative/Regulatory Policies | Reports | Partner Publications
This backgrounder published by the Campaign for Youth Justice outlines how recent actions taken by the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) toward loosening compliance with the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Acts (JJDPA) core requirements will be extremely detrimental to young people in contact with the justice system, especially youth of color.
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2018_01_16 Child Welfare Juvenile Justice Opposition to Parent Child Separation Plan
Tags: Federal | Detention | Family and Youth Involvement | Immigration | International and Human Rights | Advocacy | Administrative/Regulatory Policies | Media
Urgent appeal to Sec. Nielsen, U.S. Dept. of Homeland Security, to halt plans to separate children from parents when they arrive at or are found near the U.S. border.
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NORCOR_DRO_Don't Look Around-A Window into Inhumane Conditions for Youth ...
Tags: Oregon | Deinstitutionalization | Detention | General System Reform | Juvenile Defense and Court Process | Mental Health and Substance Abuse | Physical Health | Youth in the Adult System | Correctional Education | Reports | Research | Member Publications
The report shows the fact and statistics of youths being incarcerated in correctional facilities in Oregon. Due to the fact that a lot of facilities are not regulated, the safe and humane conditions for youth in such facilities have become a big concern. The lack of oversight and accountability has allowed Northern Oregon Regional Correctional Facility (NORCOR), for example, to neglect the basic mental health and social development needs of kids in custody. Disability Rights Oregon is calling for immediate implementation of the 2016 recommendation by the Oregon State Court Juvenile Justice Mental Health Task Force: that all child-serving systems commit to employing evidence-based, trauma-informed practices and that juvenile detention facilities be regulated and licensed.
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ADDRESSING THE INTERSECTIONS OF JUVENILE JUSTICE INVOLVEMENT AND YOUTH HOMELESSNESS: PRINCIPLES FOR CHANGE
Tags: National | Community-Based Alternatives and Supervision | Detention | Mental Health and Substance Abuse | Physical Health | Positive Youth Development and Strengths-Based Programming | Prevention | Risk Assessment and Screening | Evidence-Based Practices | Reports | Research | Partner Publications | Fact Sheets and Briefs
Coalition for Juvenile Justice reports ways to ensure young people do not experience homelessness as a result of involvement with the juvenile justice system, and likewise do not become involved with the justice system because of a lack of housing.
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MERCY Act Letter of Support 2 6 17
Tags: Federal | Detention | General System Reform | International and Human Rights | Juvenile Defense and Court Process | Youth in the Adult System | Advocacy | Administrative/Regulatory Policies | Court Decisions and Related Documents | Legislation | Member Publications | Partner Publications
Letter of support for the MERCY Act. Sponsored by Sen. Cory Booker to protect young people from solitary confinement. Juvenile Law Center.
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Charging Youth As Adults Is Ineffective, Bias-Fraught & Harmful
Tags: California | Brain and Adolescent Development | Collateral Consequences | Crime Data and Statistics | Detention | Racial and Ethnic Disparities | General System Reform | Juvenile Defense and Court Process | Mental Health and Substance Abuse | Positive Youth Development and Strengths-Based Programming | Risk Assessment and Screening | Youth in the Adult System | Victims | Evidence-Based Practices | Legislation | Reports | Research
Prop. 57 passed this past November, one section took away from prosecutors the power to cause a young person to be tried as an adult out, and gave the power back to judges. The report includes disproportionality of race and geography in adult sentencing.
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California Alliance for Youth and Community Justice---Three Years of Legislative Victories: 2014 - 2016
Tags: California | Collateral Consequences | Community-Based Alternatives and Supervision | Confidentiality | Crime Data and Statistics | Detention | General System Reform | Girls | Institutional Conditions | School-to-Prison Pipeline | Member Publications
Capsule summary of youth justice reform legislation NJJN member CAYCJ worked to pass 2014-2016.
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A stolen cellphone, then an odyssey through Maryland's juvenile justice system
Tags: Maryland | Aftercare/Reentry | Brain and Adolescent Development | Collateral Consequences | Community-Based Alternatives and Supervision | Detention | Family and Youth Involvement | Institutional Conditions | Juvenile Defense and Court Process | Mental Health and Substance Abuse | Prevention | Victims | Restorative Justice | Correctional Education | Media | Reports
A thirteen year old boy was with a group of boys who had stolen a cell phone. The counsellors and attorney argued that restorative action be administered as a best outcome. The Judge disagreed and ordered a 90 day term in a juvenile detention.
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Missouri dooms countless children to the school-to-prison pipeline
Tags: Missouri | Collateral Consequences | Detention | School-to-Prison Pipeline | Media | Reports
The school-to-prison pipeline is about to get worse. Missouri will soon charge students who get into fights with felonies. A Missouri state statute that goes into effect on Jan. 1 will no longer treat fights in schools or buses as a minor offense, regardless of a young person’s age or grade. Instead, School Resource Officers (SROs) and local law enforcement will now intervene by arresting and charging them with assault in the third degree — a Class E felony.
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New Report- Defend Children: A Blueprint for Effective Juvenile Defender Services
Tags: National | Detention | Racial and Ethnic Disparities | General System Reform | Juvenile Defense and Court Process | Reports | Web-Based Tools | Partner Publications
Details how children are arrested, prosecuted, and incarcerated without attorneys at their side. Youth, and disproportionately youth of color, are swept into a system that criminalizes normal childhood behavior and deliberately withholds rights and protections that children not only deserve, but are constitutionally entitled to receive.
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Stemming the Rising Tide: Racial & Ethnic Disparities in Youth Incarceration and Strategies for Change (Burns Institute)
Tags: National | Community-Based Alternatives and Supervision | Deinstitutionalization | Detention | Racial and Ethnic Disparities | Youth in the Adult System | Restorative Justice | Reports | Partner Publications
Report from Burns Institute documenting racial disparities trends in the juvenile justice system and recommending strategies to address the roots of racial inequities and allow youth of color a chance at restorative justice and greater well being.
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Detained: Nebraska’s Problem with Juvenile Incarceration (Voices for NE Children)
Tags: Nebraska | Community-Based Alternatives and Supervision | Deinstitutionalization | Detention | General System Reform | Juvenile Defense and Court Process | Reports | Member Publications
A fact sheet reviewing Nebraska's over-use of detention for youth, with recommendations to address the problem.
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Racial Disparities in Youth Committments and Arrests
Tags: National | Detention | Racial and Ethnic Disparities | General System Reform | Reports
This brief from the Sentencing Project examines continued racial and ethnic disparities among youth in contact with the justice system.
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Protecting Youth Confined for Profit - Policy Safeguards | PDF
Tags: National | Detention | Institutional Conditions | Positive Youth Development and Strengths-Based Programming | Privatization | NJJN Publications
NJJN opposes the use of for-profit private youth confinement facilities because they encourage the incarceration of youth and the elimination of services youth need to succeed; and they are morally wrong. Where they are still used, these policy safeguards help protect youth, taxpayers, and public safety.
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Juveniles in Placement, 2011 (OJJDP)
Tags: National | Deinstitutionalization | Detention | Racial and Ethnic Disparities | General System Reform | Youth in the Adult System | Reports
The Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention provides a detailed picture of youth in both public and private residential placements for the year 2011.
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DC, Reforming Youth Diversion in the District of Columbia, 2014
Tags: District of Columbia | Deinstitutionalization | Detention | Positive Youth Development and Strengths-Based Programming | Reports
This report focuses on how DC can prevent unnecessary youth involvement in the juvenile justice system and explains what stakeholders would be involved in this process.
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Illinois Department of Juvenile Justice and ACLU Reach Settlement Agreement Regarding Conditions in Youth Facilities, R.J. v. Jones Remedial Plan
Tags: Illinois | Detention | Court Decisions and Related Documents
Following a class-action lawsuit on behalf of nearly 1,000 youth filed by the ACLU of Illinois in September 2012, the Illinois Department of Juvenile Justice (DJJ) agreed to develop a remedial plan to address inadequate and dangerous conditions in state-run juvenile justice facilities across the state. An ACLU investigation found inadequate mental health care and education services, unwarranted use of solitary confinement, use of excessive force by DJJ staff and among youth, and failure to release youth from prison solely because of a lack of community placement. Following further investigation conducted by three independent court-appointed experts, a remedial plan was approved by the court. The plan addresses improving conditions in five areas: (1) mental health services; (2) educational services, including general education, special education, and services for youth with a high school diploma or a GED; (3) the use of room confinement; (4) safety of young people inside the facilities from violence by staff and other youth; and (5) continued commitment of youth beyond their release dates solely for lack of a community placement. R.J. v. Jones, formerly R.J. v. Bishop, case no. 12-cv-07289, consent decree signed December 6, 2012; remedial plan filed April 7, 4014.
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Functional Impairment in Delinquent Youth
Tags: Illinois | National | Detention | Mental Health and Substance Abuse | Reports
OJJDP bulletin that examines the results of the Northwestern Juvenile Project - a long-term study of youth detained in a Chicago area detention facility. The bulletin addresses youth functional impairment in the school, work, home, and community settings; and in terms of behavior toward others, mood and psychiatric concerns, self-harm, substance use, and rational thought assessed 3 years after the youth were released from detention.
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D.C. Working Group Aims to Reduce Arrests and Detention, B20-0199/A20-0157
Tags: District of Columbia | Community-Based Alternatives and Supervision | Detention | Administrative/Regulatory Policies
The Washington, D.C. City Council passed a law to establish the “Alternatives to Juvenile Arrest and Secured Detention Working Group.” The city-wide working group is charged with studying all youth arrests starting with 2011, including data on the number and type of school-based arrests. The legislation mandates that the working group include representatives from community-based non-profit organizations, as well as educational institutions that represent court-involved youth or conduct research on local juvenile justice issues. The group is required to submit a report to the Mayor that “develops and proposes a differential response policy, program, and budget for juvenile arrests with the goal of diverting more youth from arrest, prosecution, overnight detention, or pre-trial detention.” After the formation of the working group was delayed, a privately convened group of advocates addressed the issues raised in the legislation and submitted a report to the City Council that calls for a comprehensive diversion pilot program in the city and a centralized mayoral strategy to reduce formal youth system involvement. B20-0199/A20-0157, passed September 6, 2013; effective December 24, 2013.
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Polk County School District Settlement Ensures Education for Children in County Jail
Tags: Florida | Detention | Correctional Education | Court Decisions and Related Documents
The Southern Poverty Law Center reached a settlement with the Polk County School District to ensure that children detained at the county jail have their math and reading skills evaluated upon arrival and receive an appropriate education while detained. The complaint arose after a change in Florida law, driven by Polk County, that allows counties to hold children awaiting adjudication of delinquency charges in county jail instead of a Department of Juvenile Justice (DJJ) facility. County jails are not subject to DJJ standards or oversight. With this settlement, the school district agreed that DJJ educational standards will apply to youth in county jails, regardless of whether they are tried as juveniles or adults. The agreement also states that teachers assigned to the jail must obtain certification to teach special education classes, positive behavioral interventions and supports must be implemented in the classrooms, and the district must retain a transition coordinator to assist students as they return to school and/or transition to adulthood. Settlement agreement signed August 8, 2013.
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Colorado Retains Youthful Offender System to Help Limit Placement of Youth in Adult Prisons, S.B. 216/Act No. 171
Tags: Colorado | Detention | Youth in the Adult System | Legislation
Colorado reenacted a law making young adults eligible for the Youthful Offender System, which had been repealed in October 2012 due to a sunset provision. A “young adult offender” is a person who is at least 18 years of age but under 20 years of age at the time the crime is committed, and under 21 years of age at the time of sentencing. Such youth may be sentenced to the Youthful Offender System for convictions of certain felonies, rather than being sent to adult prison. The Youthful Offender System is a facility within the adult Department of Corrections (DOC) that includes a high school, vocational programming, and more services than are available in adult prison. The law also mandates that the DOC implement policies to comply with the Federal Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA) in order to provide better protections for youth under 18 in prison. S.B. 216/Act No. 171, signed into law and effective May 10, 2013.
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Georgia Passes Sweeping Juvenile Justice Reform Bill, H.B. 242
Tags: Georgia | Community-Based Alternatives and Supervision | Detention | General System Reform | Risk Assessment and Screening | Status Offenses | Legislation
Georgia passed a comprehensive reform of the state’s juvenile code, aimed at reducing the number of youth in confinement and ensuring the juvenile justice system is focused on rehabilitation. The 248-page law prohibits detention of youth who commit status offenses, and instead designates them as “children in need of services.” The new code increases use of alternatives to detention for youth who are classified as low-to-medium risk and includes an increased emphasis on risk and behavioral health assessments. Additionally, the code ensures representation for youth at every stage of the legal process. In FY 2014, the law invested five million new dollars ($4 million state/$1 million federal) in community-based programs and in the second year, FY 2015, the law invested $8.85 million ($7.85 million state/$1 million federal) into such services. The changes stemming from the law are expected to save the state $88 billion over five years. H.B. 242/Act No. 127, signed into law May 2, 2013; effective January 1, 2014.
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Colorado Reduces Juvenile Detention Bed Cap, S.B. 177/Act No. 88
Tags: Colorado | Detention | General System Reform | Legislation
Colorado passed legislation to reduce youth incarceration by reducing the juvenile detention bed cap from 422 to 382 beds. A local committee decides which youth to release when the bed cap for a juvenile detention facility is exceeded. The bed cap number is reviewed regularly by the Joint Budget Committee of the Legislature and was designed to limit the number of youth in detention. S.B. 177/Act No. 88, signed into law and effective March 29, 2013.
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Juvenile Justice Reform in Connecticut: How Collaboration and Commitment Improved Outcomes for Youth Justice Policy Institute
Tags: Connecticut | Community-Based Alternatives and Supervision | Deinstitutionalization | Detention | Racial and Ethnic Disparities | General System Reform | School-to-Prison Pipeline | Status Offenses | Reports | Partner Publications
A look at Connecticut’s juvenile justice system reforms shows how a culture change and major investments in evidence-based services turned a wasteful, punitive, ineffective, and abusive juvenile justice system into a national model, at no additional cost to taxpayers.
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Juvenile Justice Reform in Connecticut: How Collaboration and Commitment Improved Outcomes for Youth Justice Policy Institute [Exec. Summ]
Tags: Connecticut | Community-Based Alternatives and Supervision | Deinstitutionalization | Detention | Racial and Ethnic Disparities | General System Reform | School-to-Prison Pipeline | Status Offenses | Partner Publications
A look at Connecticut’s juvenile justice system reforms shows how a culture change and major investments in evidence-based services turned a wasteful, punitive, ineffective, and abusive juvenile justice system into a national model, at no additional cost to taxpayers.
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Illinois Department of Juvenile Justice and ACLU Reach Settlement Agreement Regarding Conditions in Youth Facilities, R.J. v. Bishop Consent Decree
Tags: Illinois | Detention | Court Decisions and Related Documents
Following a class-action lawsuit on behalf of nearly 1,000 youth filed by the ACLU of Illinois in September 2012, the Illinois Department of Juvenile Justice (DJJ) agreed to develop a remedial plan to address inadequate and dangerous conditions in state-run juvenile justice facilities across the state. An ACLU investigation found inadequate mental health care and education services, unwarranted use of solitary confinement, use of excessive force by DJJ staff and among youth, and failure to release youth from prison solely because of a lack of community placement. Following further investigation conducted by three independent court-appointed experts, a remedial plan was approved by the court. The plan addresses improving conditions in five areas: (1) mental health services; (2) educational services, including general education, special education, and services for youth with a high school diploma or a GED; (3) the use of room confinement; (4) safety of young people inside the facilities from violence by staff and other youth; and (5) continued commitment of youth beyond their release dates solely for lack of a community placement. R.J. v. Jones, formerly R.J. v. Bishop, case no. 12-cv-07289, consent decree signed December 6, 2012; remedial plan filed April 7, 4014.
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Illinois Department of Juvenile Justice and ACLU Reach Settlement Agreement Regarding Conditions in Youth Facilities, R.J. v. Bishop Plaintiff's Complaint
Tags: Illinois | Detention | Court Decisions and Related Documents
Following a class-action lawsuit on behalf of nearly 1,000 youth filed by the ACLU of Illinois in September 2012, the Illinois Department of Juvenile Justice (DJJ) agreed to develop a remedial plan to address inadequate and dangerous conditions in state-run juvenile justice facilities across the state. An ACLU investigation found inadequate mental health care and education services, unwarranted use of solitary confinement, use of excessive force by DJJ staff and among youth, and failure to release youth from prison solely because of a lack of community placement. Following further investigation conducted by three independent court-appointed experts, a remedial plan was approved by the court. The plan addresses improving conditions in five areas: (1) mental health services; (2) educational services, including general education, special education, and services for youth with a high school diploma or a GED; (3) the use of room confinement; (4) safety of young people inside the facilities from violence by staff and other youth; and (5) continued commitment of youth beyond their release dates solely for lack of a community placement. R.J. v. Jones, formerly R.J. v. Bishop, case no. 12-cv-07289, consent decree signed December 6, 2012; remedial plan filed April 7, 4014.
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North Carolina Limits Detention for Certain Status Offenses, H.B. 853
Tags: North Carolina | Detention | Legislation
North Carolina youth who are alleged to be “undisciplined” and have willfully failed to appear in court, or who are considered “runaways” may not be detained for more than 24 hours. Previously, such youth could be detained for a maximum of 72 hours. H.B. 853/Act No. 2012-172, signed into law July 12, 2012; effective October 1, 2012.
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Mississippi Passes Juvenile Detention Reform Act, S.B. 2598
Tags: Mississippi | Detention | General System Reform | Legislation
The Mississippi Legislature passed a comprehensive juvenile detention reform law, a collaborative initiative with the Annie E. Casey Foundation’s Juvenile Detention Alternatives Initiative (JDAI). The legislation addresses both placement of youth in detention (e.g., youth court judges are now required to issue a written order before a child may be taken into custody) and conditions (e.g., facilities must develop policies that limit the circumstances when a youth can be confined to a cell). Additionally, the legislation established the Juvenile Detention and Alternatives Task Force to support the expansion of detention alternatives and recommend licensing standards for detention facilities throughout Mississippi. S.B. 2598/Act No. 564, signed into law May 23, 2012; effective July 1, 2012.
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Judge Finds Mandatory Strip Search of Youth Unconstitutional, T.S. v. Gabbard, 860 F. Supp. 2d 384 (E.D. Ky. 2012)
Tags: Kentucky | Detention | Court Decisions and Related Documents
A federal judge in Kentucky found mandatory strip searches of youth during intake at a Perry County, Kentucky juvenile facility to be unconstitutional. Facility policy required youth to strip in front of non-medical staff who then visually observed the youth’s nude body for signs of abuse, illness, tattoos, or other markings. The court held that the facility conducted the strip searches without any reasonable suspicion of illness, injury, or possession of contraband, and therefore violated the youth’s constitutional right to privacy. In its opinion, the court noted that strip searches of youth raise unique concerns due to youth’s vulnerability. Additionally, the court dismissed the facility employees’ claim of qualified immunity—citing clear legal precedent prohibiting strip searches without individualized reasonable suspicion of possession of contraband—thereby allowing the youth to pursue civil damages. State officials have since changed the policy and youth are now screened at intake while partially clothed. T.S. v. Gabbard, 860 F. Supp. 2d 384 (E.D. Ky. 2012).
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Mississippi Removes Youth from Walnut Grove Correctional Facility and Creates Youthful Offender Unit for Youth Convicted as Adults, H.B. 523
Tags: Mississippi | Brain and Adolescent Development | Detention | Institutional Conditions | Youth in the Adult System | Court Decisions and Related Documents | Legislation
After Mississippi advocates filed a class-action lawsuit against the Walnut Grove Correctional Facility over conditions of confinement, provisions of a subsequent settlement agreement were incorporated into state legislation. In addition to the lawsuit, the facility was simultaneously subject to a U.S. Department of Justice investigation, which found that the conditions at Walnut Grove violated the constitutional rights of youth. The investigation revealed that staff engaged in sexual misconduct with youth, used excessive force, and were deliberately indifferent to the risk of harm youth posed to one another, youth’s mental health needs, and youth’s serious medical needs. The legislation required youth under 22 years old to be removed from Walnut Grove and directed the Department of Corrections (DOC) to establish a youthful offender unit to house youth 17-years-old and younger who have been convicted as adults; youth ages 18 or 19 may also be housed in the Youthful Offender Unit at the discretion of the DOC Commissioner. The Youthful Offender Unit opened in December of 2012; youth housed there must have interactive, structured rehabilitative and/or educational programming and recreational and leisure activities outside of their cells. All programming must be tailored to the developmental needs of adolescents. H.B. 523/Act No. 489, signed into law and effective April 26, 2012.
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U.S. Department of Justice Investigation Leads to Consent Decree Addressing Disparate Treatment of African-American Youth
Tags: Tennessee | Detention | Racial and Ethnic Disparities | Juvenile Defense and Court Process | Court Decisions and Related Documents
A comprehensive, multi-year investigation of the Juvenile Court of Memphis and Shelby County and the Shelby County Juvenile Detention Center by the Civil Rights Division of the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) revealed racial discrimination, widespread violations of youth’s due process rights, and excessively harsh treatment of detained youth. Specifically, the investigation found disparate treatment of African-American youth at almost every phase of the juvenile justice system, failure to provide adequate due process protections to youth before transferring them to adult court, failure to provide timely and adequate notice of delinquency charges, and unnecessary and excessive use of restraints, among other violations. Shelby County and DOJ entered into a consent decree in December of 2012, which includes specific remedial measures in the areas of due process, disparate treatment, protection from harm for detained youth, and community outreach.
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Mississippi Steps Up Dropout Prevention Efforts, Targets Youth Leaving Juvenile Detention, S.B. 2454
Tags: Mississippi | Detention | School-to-Prison Pipeline | Legislation
Mississippi amended its laws relating to the state Office of Dropout Prevention to require local school districts to develop dropout plans based on local needs that create measurable student-centered goals and objectives, target specific subgroups that need assistance meeting graduation requirements, and include dropout recovery initiatives for students ages 17 through 21 who have dropped out of school. Plans must specifically address students who are transitioning from juvenile detention centers back into their home districts. S.B. 2454/Act No. 461, signed into law April 23, 2012; effective July 1, 2012.
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Florida Establishes Respite Beds for Youth Accused of Domestic Violence, H.B. 5401
Tags: Florida | Detention | Fiscal Issues and Funding | Legislation
The Florida Legislature expanded the definition of secure detention to include “respite” beds, temporary residential placements for youth accused of domestic violence. As respite beds are less costly than secure detention, this change reduced the overall cost of detention and allowed savings to be shifted in order to provide or contract for respite beds across the state, helping youth accused of domestic violence avoid the trauma of secure detention. H.B. 5401/Act No. 2012-137, signed into law April 20, 2012; effective July 1, 2012.
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Kansas Raises the Legal Standard for Detention of Youth Charged with Felonies, S.B. 320
Tags: Kansas | Detention | Legislation
Kansas now requires a finding of probable cause—rather than just an allegation—that a youth committed a felony offense in order for the youth to be placed in detention. Detention is also permitted for youth with a history of violence, if there is probable cause that a youth will fail to appear in court, for youth with a felony record, or for youth who violate probation. Ordinary evidentiary rules do not apply at detention hearings, but youth may present evidence that probable cause does not exist, and may request a rehearing within 14 days if the judge orders detention. S.B. 320/Act No. 2012-69, signed into law and effective April 6, 2012.
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Colorado Requires Youth Charged as Adults to Be Held in Juvenile Facilities Prior to Trial, H.B. 1139/Act No. 18
Tags: Colorado | Detention | Juvenile Defense and Court Process | Youth in the Adult System | Legislation
Colorado amended its statute concerning pretrial detention of youth prosecuted as adults. Existing law provided youth with the right to a hearing to determine whether the youth’s immediate welfare or the protection of the community required that the youth be detained. Now, if the court determines after such a hearing that a youth must be detained, Colorado law requires that all youth charged as adults to be held in juvenile detention facilities rather than adult jails or pretrial facilities. Youth may only be transferred to adult jail upon petition by the juvenile facility and a court hearing. H.B. 1139/Act No. 18, signed into law and effective on March 15, 2012.
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Juvenile Detention Risk Assessment, Report to Joint Judiciary Interim Committee, Wyoming Department of Family Services, January 2012
Tags: Wyoming | Detention | Risk Assessment and Screening | Reports
Wyoming law requires law enforcement to screen youth taken into custody with a uniform juvenile detention risk assessment instrument designed by county sheriffs (H.B. 12, 2010). The Department of Family Services must collect and analyze data on the application of the risk assessment instrument, and report annually to the legislature. A report submitted to the legislature in January 2012 acknowledges that a large portion of such youth do not belong in a secure facility for reasons of public safety or flight risk. The report encourages communities to consider serving such youth through alternatives to detention.
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Forrest County, Mississippi Settles Lawsuit on Conditions and Access, M.T., et al. v. Forrest County, Mississippi, 2011
Tags: Mississippi | Detention | Institutional Conditions | Court Decisions and Related Documents
A class-action lawsuit against Forrest County, Mississippi challenged excessive shackling, physical abuse, filthy conditions, and overcrowding at the Forrest County Juvenile Detention Center. The lawsuit also challenged the facility's denial of access to the federally mandated Protection and Advocacy (P&A) organization for Mississippi; under federal law, P&A organizations have a right to enter facilities, interview youth, and assess conditions.
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No Place for Kids: The Case for Reducing Juvenile Incarceration
Tags: Deinstitutionalization | Detention | Fiscal Issues and Funding | General System Reform | Reports
The Annie E. Casey Foundation's new report, *No Place for Kids: The Case for Reducing Juvenile Incarceration,* assembles a vast array of evidence to demonstrate that incarcerating kids doesn't work; it also shows that many states have substantially reduced their juvenile correctional facility populations with no increase in juvenile crime or violence. Includes recommendations for further reform.
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Non-Discriminatory, Developmentally-Sound Treatment of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) Youth, New Orleans Youth Study Center
Tags: Louisiana | Detention | Institutional Conditions | LGBTQ Youth | Administrative/Regulatory Policies
Policy providing eleven procedural guidelines regarding LGBT youth, including a definition of what qualifies as discrimination, harassment, and abuse of LGBT youth; a prohibition on discriminating or threatening anyone based upon their sexual orientation or gender identity, by both staff and other incarcerated youth; and a prohibition on placing LGBT youth in isolation as a "means of keeping them safe from discrimination." The policy also includes provisions regarding transgender youth, including that transgender youth will not be forced to shower or change clothing in front of staff or other youth-a situation that can be especially humiliating and terrifying for this demographic.
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Youth Study Center Becomes National Leader with Model LGBT Policy
Tags: Louisiana | Detention | Institutional Conditions | LGBTQ Youth | Administrative/Regulatory Policies
Press release regarding LGBT policy for New Orleans' juvenile detention center, which provides eleven procedural guidelines, including a definition of what qualifies as discrimination, harassment, and abuse of LGBT youth; a prohibition on discriminating or threatening anyone based upon their sexual orientation or gender identity, by both staff and other incarcerated youth; and a prohibition on placing LGBT youth in isolation as a "means of keeping them safe from discrimination." The policy also includes provisions regarding transgender youth, including that transgender youth will not be forced to shower or change clothing in front of staff or other youth-a situation that can be especially humiliating and terrifying for this demographic.
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LGBTQ Youth Policies, New York City, July 2011
Tags: New York | Detention | Institutional Conditions | LGBTQ Youth | Administrative/Regulatory Policies
The policies—which draw from guidelines issued by New York’s Office of Children and Family Services in 2008—cover LGBTQ identities and language, disclosure, confidentiality, cultural competency training, medical/mental health, bedroom/bathroom arrangements, personal grooming, search issues, and transition/reentry planning.
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Connecticut Restricts Use of Detention, H.B. 6634
Tags: Connecticut | Community-Based Alternatives and Supervision | Deinstitutionalization | Detention | Legislation
Connecticut law restricts placement of youth in detention unless there is probable cause to believe the youth has committed the acts alleged and there is no less restrictive alternative available. The law also carves out six additional factors that allow for detention, including a strong probability that a youth will run away and a judicial finding of a violation of a suspended detention order. No youth may be held in any detention center without a judicial order to detain.
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Connecticut Youth Gain Prompter Access to Temporary Leave from Facilities, H.B. 6636
Tags: Connecticut | Detention | Institutional Conditions | Legislation
The Connecticut General Assembly waived the 60-day waiting period for a youth to be granted leave after his or her placement changes. Prior to this, youth could not apply for leave from a juvenile facility or residential placement to attend events such as a family gathering. The legislature also eliminated the one-year mandatory minimum stay at the Connecticut Juvenile Training School, allowing youth to be sentenced to shorter stays.
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Oregon Retains Pretrial Youth in Juvenile Facilities, Ohio, H.B. 2707
Tags: Oregon | Detention | Youth in the Adult System | Legislation
Ensures that youth charged as adults are held in juvenile detention pre-trial, rather than adult jails.
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Youth in Oregon Must Be Held in Juvenile Detention Pre-Trial, Rather than Adult Jails, H.B. 2707
Tags: Oregon | Detention | Youth in the Adult System | Legislation
An Oregon law makes juvenile detention the default place to hold youth charged as adults pre-trial. The bill addressed a glaring inconsistency in Oregon law, through which such youth were to be held in adult jail before trial and in youth facilities after conviction.
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Colorado Reduces Juvenile Detention Bed Cap by 57 Beds, S.B. 217
Tags: Colorado | Community-Based Alternatives and Supervision | Deinstitutionalization | Detention | Legislation
The cap on the number of juvenile detention beds in Colorado was reduced by law from 479 to 422 beds. Bed caps on detention originated from S.B. 94 in 1991; the state periodically revises the caps as the utilization rate declines. When the cap is exceeded, the state must do an emergency release. The bed reduction also allows the legislature to reduce corresponding costs.
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Arizona Criminalizes Unlawful Sexual Conduct of Juvenile Court Employees, S.B. 1130
Tags: Arizona | Detention | Institutional Conditions | Legislation
An Arizona law extends to all incarcerated youth the protections of an existing law that makes it a felony to sexually exploit an individual in correctional custody.
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Missouri Supreme Court Mandates Use of Juvenile Detention Assessment Instrument, Court Operating Rule 28, April 8, 2011
Tags: Missouri | Detention | Risk Assessment and Screening | Court Decisions and Related Documents
The Missouri Supreme Court mandated that as of January 1, 2012, all youth facing detention receive a risk score through Missouri's new juvenile detention assessment instrument in order to determine their pre-adjudication placement. The court states that generally youth should not be held in secure detention unless they present a risk to public safety or may fail to appear in court for their hearings. The instrument is to be used to assist in making a decision as to whether a youth should be placed in a secure detention facility, placed in an alternative to detention, or released. The instrument is a written checklist used to rate each youth for specific detention-related risks and was developed to address the inappropriate detention of youth based on race, gender, or offense. The court's order also directs the state courts administrator to provide training to all circuits on the use of the instrument, and requires circuits using the instrument to keep and report data. Court Operating Rule 28, April 8, 2011.
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Louisiana Order Modifying Conditions Consent Decree at Orleans Parish Detention Center
Tags: Louisiana | Detention | Institutional Conditions | Mental Health and Substance Abuse | Physical Health | Court Decisions and Related Documents
In February 2010, two consent decrees were finalized regarding conditions of confinement and education at New Orleans’ juvenile detention center, the Youth Study Center. The consent decrees were filed in October 2009 following twenty-two months of negotiations after a class-action lawsuit was filed in December 2007. The lawsuit included allegations of locked fire doors with no available keys, insects and rodents biting youth, children with serious conditions being denied their medication, and suicidal youth not receiving mental health services. The consent decrees’ provisions include increased staffing for the Youth Study Center; increased training of all staff on such issues as suicide prevention, behavior, and classroom management; improved healthcare, including prohibiting staff from denying medical care to youth and increased medical and mental health staffing; increased focus on programming, education, and physical recreation; and an increase of one social worker per unit.
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Idaho Youth Tried as Adults May Be Held in Juvenile Detention Facilities, S.B. 1003
Tags: Idaho | Detention | Youth in the Adult System | Legislation
Idaho law now provides that youth being treated as adult offenders may be housed with the general population in a juvenile detention center upon court order. The court may make the order on its own, or pursuant to a petition by one of the parties in the case. Prior law prohibited youth who were waived to adult court from being housed in a juvenile detention facility without sight and sound separation from the other youth. Youth waived to adult court may now be housed with the general juvenile population if it is determined by the detention administration that the safety and security of the other youth would not be at risk.
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Statement of Purpose and Fiscal Note, Idaho S.B. 1003, Youth Tried as Adults May Be Held in Juvenile Detention Facilities
Tags: Idaho | Detention | Youth in the Adult System | Reports
Idaho law now provides that youth being treated as adult offenders may be housed with the general population in a juvenile detention center upon court order. The court may make the order on its own, or pursuant to a petition by one of the parties in the case. Prior law prohibited youth who were waived to adult court from being housed in a juvenile detention facility without sight and sound separation from the other youth. Youth waived to adult court may now be housed with the general juvenile population if it is determined by the detention administration that the safety and security of the other youth would not be at risk.
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Vermont Increases Access to Mental Health Services for Detained Youth, H.B. 65
Tags: Vermont | Detention | Institutional Conditions | Mental Health and Substance Abuse | Legislation
Through the 2010 Budget Adjustment Act, the Vermont Department for Children and Families “repurposed” Vermont’s one juvenile detention facility to become a “residential treatment facility that provides in-patient psychiatric, mental health, and substance abuse services in a secure setting for adolescents who have been adjudicated or charged with a delinquency or criminal act.” By making this change, the department is now able to draw down Medicaid funding for youth placed at the facility; such funding is usually prohibited for incarcerated youth. All youth placed at the detention center are screened for treatment needs shortly after admission and may gain access to services even if they do not qualify for longer-term placement there.
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Detention Facility Self-Assessment Revised Guidelines, Juvenile Detention Alteratives Initiative
Tags: Detention | Institutional Conditions | Reports
Guidelines revising/updating 2006 report, "An Overview of the JDAI Facility Site Assessment Process."
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Harms of Detention, Truth of Youth Toolkit
Tags: Arkansas | Deinstitutionalization | Detention | Reports
Fact sheet from Arkansas on the negative effects of detention of youth.
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California Corrections Standards Authority Must Inspect Facilities Where Juveniles Are Held for More than 24 Hours, S.B. 1447
Tags: California | Detention | Institutional Conditions | Legislation
California law requires the Corrections Standards Authority to inspect and collect relevant data from any facility that may be used for the secure detention of minors.
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Kansas Passes Law to Keep Status Offenders Out of Detention, S.B. 452
Tags: Kansas | Detention | Status Offenses | Legislation
Kansas prohibits the use of detention or jail for youth under age 18 who are arrested for underage possession or consumption of alcohol. The law is an effort to ensure that youth who commit status offenses are not locked up, in accordance with best practices and the requirements of the federal Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act.
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Louisiana Creates Task Force on Juvenile Detention Center Standards, H.B. 1477
Tags: Louisiana | Detention | Institutional Conditions | Legislation
Detention reform in Louisiana passed another milestone in July 2011, when the Task Force on Juvenile Detention Center Standards submitted a final draft of proposed standards to the Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS). The task force was created by legislation passed in 2010 (H.B. 1477). The standards—informed by the MacArthur Foundation’s Models for Change initiative—end the use of restraint chairs and chemical restraints such as pepper spray in facilities; mandate that staff receive increased training, including on best practices for working with lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender youth; address access to required educational and other services; and create procedures for reporting complaints. Final standards were promulgated January 31, 2012, with all facilities to be licensed and in compliance by the end of 2013.
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Georgia Extends Limit on Detention of Youth Convicted of Status Offenses and Low-Level Misdemeanors, H.B. 1104
Tags: Georgia | Detention | Status Offenses | Legislation
Legislation extends H.B. 245 to 2013; H.B. 245 shortened the maximum length of time that certain youth can be held in the state's Short-Term Program (STP) from 60 to 30 days. STP is a dispositional option that results in a short-term detention placement for youth. The aim of the legislation is to keep youth convicted of status offenses and low-level misdemeanors out of detention and to serve them more appropriately and effectively in the community.
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Florida Department of Juvenile Justice to Ensure Effective Delivery of Health Services for Youth in Custody, S.B. 1012
Tags: Florida | Detention | Institutional Conditions | Mental Health and Substance Abuse | Physical Health | Legislation
The Florida Department of Juvenile Justice (DJJ) must adopt rules to ensure the effective provision of health services to youth in facilities or programs operated or contracted by DJJ. The rules must address ordinary medical care, mental health services, substance abuse treatment services, and services to youth with developmental disabilities.
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Colorado Explicitly Prohibits Staff Sexual Contact with Youth in Juvenile Facilities, H.B. 1277
Tags: Colorado | Detention | Institutional Conditions | Legislation
State law now protects both youth and adults in Colorado from sexual abuse and exploitation while confined. Prior law prohibited a correctional employee or volunteer in an adult criminal justice facility from engaging in sexual activity with an inmate; but youth in detention or commitment facilities were not explicitly protected under the law.
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Santa Clara County, California Probation Report on Detention of Young Children, May 11, 2010
Tags: California | Community-Based Alternatives and Supervision | Deinstitutionalization | Detention | Reports
On May 11, 2010, the Board of Supervisors in Santa Clara County, California unanimously approved a new policy discouraging the detention of children under the age of 13. The Board hopes that the policy will encourage judges to send children to alternative settings, such as home-based supervision, intensive foster care, and community-based treatment centers.
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Lauderdale County, Mississippi Settles Lawsuit over Abusive Conditions at Detention Center, E.W. v. Lauderdale County, April 30, 2010
Tags: Mississippi | Detention | Institutional Conditions | Mental Health and Substance Abuse | Physical Health | Court Decisions and Related Documents
Lauderdale County, Mississippi settled a class-action lawsuit that alleged abusive conditions at the Lauderdale Juvenile Detention Center. The agreement ensures that youth at the detention center can no longer be locked in cells all day; ends the indiscriminate use of pepper spray and mace; requires clean and sanitary conditions; mandates health and mental health screening and treatment; requires adequate educational, rehabilitative, and recreational programs; and ends the use of a chair with mechanical restraints.
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Mississippi Expands Authority of Juvenile Detention Monitoring Unit, S.B. 2950
Tags: Mississippi | Detention | Institutional Conditions | Legislation
The Mississippi State Legislature expanded the authority of the state's juvenile detention monitoring unit, which is now responsible for investigating, evaluating, and securing the rights of youth held in juvenile justice facilities, including detention centers, training schools, and group homes, in order to ensure that the facilities operate in compliance with national best practices and state and federal law.
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Santa Clara County, California Juvenile Justice Commission Report on Detention of Young Children, April 8, 2010
Tags: California | Community-Based Alternatives and Supervision | Deinstitutionalization | Detention | Reports
On May 11, 2010, the Board of Supervisors in Santa Clara County, California unanimously approved a new policy discouraging the detention of children under the age of 13. The Board hopes that the policy will encourage judges to send children to alternative settings, such as home-based supervision, intensive foster care, and community-based treatment centers.
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Wyoming Develops Juvenile Detention Facility Standards, S.F.O. 9
Tags: Wyoming | Detention | Institutional Conditions | Legislation
Wyoming law now requires sheriffs to develop and implement uniform standards for juvenile detention facilities, with consideration of nationally-recognized criteria. Starting in March 2013, youth may not be detained in a secure juvenile detention facility unless the facility has adopted the standards.
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Louisiana Consent Decree Aims to Improve Conditions at Orleans Parish Detention Center
Tags: Louisiana | Detention | Institutional Conditions | Mental Health and Substance Abuse | Physical Health | Court Decisions and Related Documents
In February 2010, two consent decrees were finalized regarding conditions of confinement and education at New Orleans’ juvenile detention center, the Youth Study Center. The consent decrees were filed in October 2009 following twenty-two months of negotiations after a class-action lawsuit was filed in December 2007. The lawsuit included allegations of locked fire doors with no available keys, insects and rodents biting youth, children with serious conditions being denied their medication, and suicidal youth not receiving mental health services. The consent decrees’ provisions include increased staffing for the Youth Study Center; increased training of all staff on such issues as suicide prevention, behavior, and classroom management; improved healthcare, including prohibiting staff from denying medical care to youth and increased medical and mental health staffing; increased focus on programming, education, and physical recreation; and an increase of one social worker per unit.
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Louisiana Education Consent Decree Aims to Improve Education at Orleans Parish Detention Center
Tags: Louisiana | Detention | Institutional Conditions | Mental Health and Substance Abuse | Physical Health | Court Decisions and Related Documents
In February 2010, two consent decrees were finalized regarding conditions of confinement and education at New Orleans’ juvenile detention center, the Youth Study Center. The consent decrees were filed in October 2009 following twenty-two months of negotiations after a class-action lawsuit was filed in December 2007. The lawsuit included allegations of locked fire doors with no available keys, insects and rodents biting youth, children with serious conditions being denied their medication, and suicidal youth not receiving mental health services. The consent decrees’ provisions include increased staffing for the Youth Study Center; increased training of all staff on such issues as suicide prevention, behavior, and classroom management; improved healthcare, including prohibiting staff from denying medical care to youth and increased medical and mental health staffing; increased focus on programming, education, and physical recreation; and an increase of one social worker per unit.
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Wyoming Officers to Conduct Risk Assessments of Youth in Detention, H.B. 12
Tags: Wyoming | Detention | Risk Assessment and Screening | Legislation
Wyoming law requires law enforcement to screen youth taken into custody with a uniform juvenile detention risk assessment instrument designed by county sheriffs. The Department of Family Services must collect and analyze data on the application of the risk assessment instrument, and report annually to the legislature. The law additionally requires law enforcement to notify a youth’s parent or guardian as soon as possible—and no later than 24 hours—that the youth has been taken into custody. The law prohibits holding a youth under age 11 in a hardware-secure juvenile detention facility.
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Louisiana Establishes Standards for Juvenile Detention Facilities, January 31, 2012
Tags: Louisiana | Detention | Institutional Conditions | Administrative/Regulatory Policies
Detention reform in Louisiana passed another milestone in July 2011, when the Task Force on Juvenile Detention Center Standards submitted a final draft of proposed standards to the Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS). The task force was created by legislation passed in 2010 (H.B. 1477). The standards—informed by the MacArthur Foundation’s Models for Change initiative—end the use of restraint chairs and chemical restraints such as pepper spray in facilities; mandate that staff receive increased training, including on best practices for working with lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender youth; address access to required educational and other services; and create procedures for reporting complaints. Final standards were promulgated January 31, 2012, with all facilities to be licensed and in compliance by the end of 2013.
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Why Juvenile Detention Makes Teens Worse, TIME, Maia Szalavitz
Tags: Detention | Institutional Conditions | Media
Magazine article reporting on recent research on the contagious effect of delinquent behavior in juvenile detention centers.
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Harrison County, Mississippi Commits to Improving Detention Center Conditions, D.W. v. Harrison County, Case No. 1:09-cv-267 LG-RHN (S.D. Miss.), Jun 24, 2009
Tags: Mississippi | Detention | Institutional Conditions | Court Decisions and Related Documents
Harrison County, Mississippi settled a federal class-action lawsuit that sought to end the physical abuse of youth, denial of mental health care for suicidal youth, and other unconstitutional conditions in the Harrison County Juvenile Detention Center. The settlement addresses overcrowding, cell confinement, use of restraints, use of force, suicide prevention, hygiene and sanitation, and staff training.
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Certain Colorado Youth Tried as Adults May Be Held in Juvenile Facilities Rather than Adult Jail, H.B. 1321
Tags: Colorado | Detention | Youth in the Adult System | Legislation
Juveniles who are tried as adults may be placed in a juvenile facility prior to trial, rather than an adult jail, if the district attorney and defense counsel agree on the placement. Additionally, the district attorney may agree to change the place of confinement from adult jail to a juvenile facility at any stage of the proceedings. To determine the appropriate placement, the district attorney and defense counsel must consider several factors, including the nature, seriousness, and circumstances of the alleged offense; the youth's history of prior criminal acts; and the youth's age, physical maturity, mental state, and mental maturity.
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New York City Requires Department of Corrections to Collect Data on Adolescents in City Jails, Introduction 0937-2009
Tags: New York | Detention | Institutional Conditions | Legislation
In response to the fatal beating of a youth on Rikers Island, the New York City Council passed a bill that requires the Department of Corrections to collect data on adolescents in city jails. Rikers Island houses nearly 900 youth between 16 and 18 years old. The security-related data being gathered includes, among other indicators, the number of stabbings/slashings and fights resulting in serious injury, number of attempted suicides, and incidents of sexual assault.
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Georgia Limits Detention of Youth Convicted of Status Offenses and Low-Level Misdemeanors, H.B. 245
Tags: Georgia | Detention | Status Offenses | Legislation
The Georgia General Assembly shortened the maximum length of time that certain youth can be held in the state's Short-Term Program (STP) from 60 to 30 days. STP is a dispositional option that results in a short-term detention placement for youth. The aim of the legislation is to keep youth convicted of status offenses and low-level misdemeanors out of detention and to serve them more appropriately and effectively in the community.
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D.W. v. Harrison County, Complaint, Mississippi
Tags: Mississippi | Detention | Institutional Conditions | Court Decisions and Related Documents
Court complaint filed against Harrison County, Mississippi to stop abuses at the juvenile detention center.
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Arizona Supreme Court Juvenile Detention Standards
Tags: Arizona | Detention | Institutional Conditions | Court Decisions and Related Documents
The Arizona Supreme Court developed detailed juvenile detention standards to be followed by all Arizona juvenile courts. The standards cover a wide array of topics, including personnel, monitoring, risk assessments, academic services, health services, recreation, juvenile rights, restraints, food services, and facility design. Implementation of the standards in 2010 has led to six operational reviews and improvements to policies, practices, and services provided to detained youth. Positive changes include reduction in the time frame for requesting educational and medical records; improved staffing ratios; officer training; collaborations with community agencies to improve medical and behavioral health services; development and improvement of positive reinforcement-based behavior management systems; and improvements in direct supervision of youth.
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Senate Bill 94 Reference Manual, Colorado Department of Human Services, Division of Youth Corrections, January 2009
Tags: Colorado | Community-Based Alternatives and Supervision | Deinstitutionalization | Detention | Administrative/Regulatory Policies
Bed caps on detention originated from S.B. 94 in 1991; the state periodically revises the caps as the utilization rate declines. When the cap is exceeded, the state must do an emergency release. The bed reduction also allows the legislature to reduce corresponding costs. S.B. 94 also created a Juvenile Services Fund to fund local alternatives to incarceration.
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K.C. v. Nedelkoff, Complaint of ACLU on Behalf of Texas Girl Inmates
Tags: Texas | Detention | Institutional Conditions | Court Decisions and Related Documents
Court complaint filed by the ACLU on behalf of female inmates in Texas in order to stop abuses at detention centers for female offenders.
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Sex Abuse and Violence at Teen Jails, CNN
Tags: Detention | Institutional Conditions | Media
CNN article describing various instances of violence in youth detention centers around the country.
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Mississippi Sets Educational Standards and Appropriations for Detained Youth, Mississippi, H.B. 348
Tags: Mississippi | Detention | Institutional Conditions | Legislation
Sets new standards for education and requires the annual appropriation of sufficient funds for the provision of educational services to detained youth.
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Illinois Gives Court Control over Juvenile Detention Center, Illinois, Public Act 95-0194
Tags: Illinois | Detention | Legislation
Moves control of the Cook County Juvenile Detention Center away from the county and gives it to the court.
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Mississippi Sets Educational Standards for Detained Youth, S.B. 2818/Chapter 568
Tags: Mississippi | Detention | Institutional Conditions | Legislation
Sets new educational standards for youth in detention and requires annual appropriation of sufficient funds for the provision of these educational services.
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New Mexico Incorporates JDAI Principles in Children's Code, New Mexico, H.B. 517
Tags: New Mexico | Community-Based Alternatives and Supervision | Detention | Legislation
Incorporates the guiding principles of the Juvenile Detention Alternatives Initiative into the Purpose section of the Delinquency Article of the New Mexico Children's Code, furthering the state's detention reform efforts.
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Report on Conditions at Woodside Juvenile Rehabilitation Center, Vermont Protection and Advocacy, December 2006
Tags: Vermont | Detention | Institutional Conditions | Reports
Between 2007 and 2011, Vermont’s Woodside Juvenile Rehabilitation Center’s Detention Unit improved its conditions of confinement and services to youth, including provision of adequate heat and air conditioning, cleaning services, special education services, mental health treatment, and case management coordination, as well as decreases in the use of seclusion and restraint. Additionally, Woodside currently shares copies of all use-of-force reports with Vermont’s federally authorized Protection and Advocacy organization. The facility implemented the changes after five years of advocacy efforts to improve conditions at the facility.
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Dangers of Detention: The Impact of Incarcerating Youth in Detention and Other Secure Facilities, Justice Policy Institute
Tags: Detention | Institutional Conditions | Reports
Policy brief looking at the impact of detention on young people, their families, and communities. Brief shows that, given the new findings that detaining youth may not make communities safer, the costs of needlessly detaining young people who do not need to be there are simply too high. Policymakers instead should look to detention reform as a means to reduce the number of young people needlessly detained, and reinvest the savings in juvenile interventions proven to reduce recidivism and crime, and that can help build healthy and safe communities.
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California Requires Prompt Enrollment in Medi-Cal for Youth Leaving Detention, California, S.B. 1469
Tags: California | Detention | Fiscal Issues and Funding | Legislation
Youth exiting detention will be enrolled more quickly in Medi-Cal. The legislation requires detention facilities provide information to welfare departments about juveniles who are scheduled to be released.
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Do You Know Where the Children Are?, Barbara Fedders and Barbara Kaban
Tags: Massachusetts | Detention | Institutional Conditions | Reports
Report on youth held without bail in Massachusetts.
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An Overview of the JDAI Facility Site Assessment Process, Center for Children's Law and Policy
Tags: Detention | Institutional Conditions | Reports
Overview document providing (1) a summary of the entire facility site assessment process from start to finish, (2) an extensive set of standards contained in the JDAI Facility Site Assessment Instrument (3) a set of “How To” documents that provide suggestions for assessing each major issue area involved in a facility assessment (4) additional handouts and materials presented in conjunction with trainings on how to conduct an assessment.
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Psychiatric Disorders of Youth in Detention, Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention
Tags: Illinois | Detention | Mental Health and Substance Abuse | Reports
Bulletin discussing psychiatric disorders prevalent in youth offenders. Bulletin draws on research conducted by the Northwestern Juvenile Project, which measured the prevalence of alcohol, drug, and mental disorders among youth detained at the Cook County Juvenile Temporary Detention Center in Illinois. The study examined the prevalence of psychiatric disorders among youth by gender, race and ethnicity, and age.
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Colorado Aligns with JJDPA Requirements, Colorado, H.B. 06-1112
Tags: Colorado | Detention | Institutional Conditions | Legislation
Amends the state's Juvenile Law to align with requirements of the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act. The law now limits temporary detention to a maximum of six hours and requires separation from adults in prison.
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Hawaii to Improve Conditions in Detention Facility, Memorandum of Agreement
Tags: Hawaii | Detention | Institutional Conditions | Court Decisions and Related Documents
The Hawaii legislature provided emergency funding to make improvements at the Youth Detention Facility in line with the Department of Justice recommendations.
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Reforming Juvenile Detention in Florida, National Council on Crime and Delinquency
Tags: Florida | Detention | Research
Study assessing the conditions of confinement, needs of youth entering the system, and services received as reported by youth and staff in Florida. It also estimates the number of youth that could safely be placed in a non-secure alternative environment, thus reducing the overall burden on the system. Study answers three primary research questions: (1) What are the profiles of youth in detention (characteristics, conditions of confinement, youth needs and services received, and safety and security)? (2) Are there any significant differences between gender and race/ethnicity regarding conditions (emotional conditions, services received, perceptions of staff)? (3) What are the standards of operation in detention facilities across the state? What are the potential benefits for youth and taxpayers of using research-based alternatives to detention in Florida?
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Connecticut Increases Protections for Status Offenders, Connecticut, H.B. 6978
Tags: Connecticut | Detention | Status Offenses | Legislation
Changes Connecticut's Families With Service Needs Act so that youth who commit status offenses and who violate their court orders can no longer be adjudicated as a delinquent or held in a detention center.
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Vermont Increases Restrictions on Removing Youth from Their Homes, Vermont, H.B. 515
Tags: Vermont | Deinstitutionalization | Detention | Legislation
Requires the court after a detention hearing make written findings on whether reasonable efforts were made to prevent the child from being removed from his/her home.
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Georgia Shortens Maximum Stay in Short-Term Detention, S.B. 134
Tags: Georgia | Detention | Status Offenses | Legislation
2005 law shortens the maximum Short-Term Program (STP) stay from 90 to 60 days, and additionally narrows the offenses for which youth can be placed in the program, limiting it to youth convicted of felonies and "high and aggravated" misdemeanors. STP is a dispositional option that results in a short-term detention placement for youth.
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Rethinking Juvenile Detention in New York City, Juvenile Justice Project of the Correctional Association of New York
Tags: New York | Detention | Fiscal Issues and Funding | Reports
Report challenging plans to increase juvenile detention beds in New York City based on high numbers of detained low-level offenders; racial, ethnic and economic disparities of detained youth; unnecessarily high lengths of stay; and high cost. The report includes recommendations for reform.